Monday, August 6, 2012

A Crazy weekend - As Mother Nature doesn’t take heed to Race Flags...

So apparently the nation saw Mother Nature do a ‘Flip-Flop weather-wise, eh? As Seattle had a mini-HEAT-wave this weekend with what for us is overtly HOT temps, asthe mercury hit 93deg-f Saturday and a record high of 92deg-f Sunday, which is blistering HOT for us, as the majority of us do NOT have air conditioning...

Thus, as Seattle celebrated its annual summer spectale Seafair - which culminates with the Navy’s vaunted Blue Angels performing over Lake Washington where the Unlimited Hydroplanes are the featured performers in Seafair’s climax - the Albert Lee Cup; by now many of you most likely have heard about the person killed during the lightning strike at Pocono Raceway...

And if you stayed inside like I did to beat the heat, or stay dry and watched the IndyCar race from Mid-Ohio, then Y’all probably know they had torrential rainfall in the morning prior to a fairly sanguine race; as I found the television coverage to be fairly decent as I prefer the NBC Sports Network Booth boyz over ABC’s Dudley Duo; BUTT! I’m sure glad I wasn’t playin’ any college drinking games for every time the word Sunoco was spoken; ‘HIC! As Uhm? I’m not quite sure who the ‘Offical petrol supplier of IndyCarz is; Hya!

On the plus side, the Preamble was the perfect timing of a scant half-hour, which I really-really-really wish the Peacock-lite network would do... On the negative side of the ledger was the starting line-up across the top of the screen on the tiny crall-strip which some of us CANNOT FREAKIN’ READ!

But back to the Pocono tragedy - as after having read Nate Ryan’s timeline about it, I haveda say that I find both NASCAR and the Racetrack partially at fault... As I’ve personally experienced the fright of an impending lightning strike two years ago at Edmonton, during Saturday’s ‘Qualie session; as lightning flashed ‘N thunder boomed all around us - primarily targeting Downtown Edmonton instead, as I kept my fingers crossed the ominous black clouds wouldn’t send ferocious rainfall upon us...

As I’d never ever been to a racetrack where the public address system crackled a warning of potentially needing to abandon the (aluminum) grandstands! And I say frightenly since I was accompanied by my 10-year nephew and we hadn’t made an EMERGENCEY meeting place prior to this - and I’d most likely need to ditch my aluminum white cane, which surely would act as a lightning rod; YIKES! (Yeah, I was a bad uncle since I hadn’t considered this possibility...)

Thus the part I find overly disturbing about the Pocono debacle is the repeated theme of issuing warnings via the track’s Twitter & Facebook page... As Earth to Pocono Raceway; NOT everybody on the planet is swept up into the social media craze...

And I know I’m repeating myself here; BUTT! I am a severely visually impaired Word Butcherer who as Mary Ellen likes to tell others when greeting them: “This is tomaso; he thinks his vision is better than it really is!”

Thus the part that stands out in the USA Today story is the comment how the PA announcement of the immanent weather arriving was very HARD to hear over the drone of Jet Dryers, racing cars, etc. As I for one rely solely upon the Public Address systems at every racing venue I attend to keep appraised of what’s occurring trackside.

And do I have any answers for this; NO! But I find it despicable that once again the race must GO on - as NASCAR blindly attempted finishing the race before the severe storm occurred and then simply expected the 85,000 fans to skidattle to safety afterwards as the lightning struck; SHEISA!

And speaking of Edmonton, after I attempted watching; Err listening to the magnificent Blue Angels practice Saturday from a local hideaway overlooking Lake Washington, I haveda say that everytime I think about an F/A-18 Fighter Jet, which the Blue Angels use - I fondly flashback to standing in the Edmonton City Centre’s Train Station parking lot as a lone ‘Kuhnadiun F/A-18 flew over us so LOW that its engine roar set off multiple car alarms upon its way to do its track fly-over! And that was just ‘Juan lone jet - so imagine what six of these Super Hornets sound like, eh?

And it was funny that I had to get my weekly news roundup via duh ‘FREAKS! As I was totally unawares that whilst Steve David was en route to his third consecutive Albert Lee Cup victory aboard Oh Boy Oberto! That history was being made in Kent, WA at Pacific Raceways... As Duh Sarge rightly lambasted ESPN’s Sportcenter for not offering a word upon not one but two FEMALES WINNING at the NHRA’s Northwest Nationals; as I’m with Statmann Caruthers of NOT wanting to see Kenny wearing a bra upon betting on Speed Freaks that ESPN/Sportscenter would devote ANY time to the history making duo of Courtney Force winning in ‘Flopperz (Funny-car) and Erica Enders in Pro-Stock Sunday night; so CONGRATS ladies!

As it was actually Enders second victory this season and overall, whilst Courtney, the daughter of 15-time NHRA Champion John Force mentioned how Alexis DeJoria of Patron fame dropped off a congratulatory bottle of the premium tequila as a victory present, which with all of this heat we’re soaking in here right now sounds mighty tasty to Mwah...